Or, answer a few questions and we will be glad to help.
Loading...
Creative Writing (MFACW) Overview
Chatham’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFACW) program grows from the legacy of Rachel Carson '29, a creative writer known for her social conscience. Students in the MFA creative writing program explore poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and place-based writing while developing their voices through workshops, mentorship, and literary study. We teach students to think deeply about place, identity, and storytelling, and to connect their writing to the world with care and intention.
Chatham also offers alow-residency programin addition to itson-campus program, with some courses shared between the two.
The application deadline is July 1st, but the priority deadline for funding is February 15. Applications will be accepted after the deadline if space is available in the program.
Competitive Cost
Under $30,000
At 36 credits with a per-credit cost of $775, the MFACW program has a base cost of $27,900 and can be completed in under two years.
MFA Funding Opportunities
Available Assistantships
A number of teaching assistantships are available to full-time, first-year students that help defray the cost of the tuition while also earning valuable experience.
Nationally Recognized MFA Program
Top-Rated Program
In 2016, Publisher's Weekly named Chatham one of five distinctive MFA creative writing programs in the nation. The Atlantic Monthly also recognized the program as one of the top innovative MFA programs in the U.S.
The Fallingwater Residency
The Chatham MFA Fallingwater Residency in Nature & Place-Based Writing is an immersive experience in creativity, community, and nature at the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fallingwater. No other MFA program in the world can boast this unique educational experience!
Rachel Carson ’29 is Chatham's most distinguished alumna. In her honor, MFA students may choose from literature and creative writing courses focused on the natural world, including Ecofeminism, Wildness and Literature, Nature and Culture, and Writing About Food, as well as a course in Environmental Imagination. The Fourth River, Chatham’s national literary journal, focuses on nature and place-based writing.
Chatham offers an MFA (36 credit hours) and an MA (30 credit hours) in Creative Writing. Click the button below to learn more about the curriculum progression and courses.
A number of research, special projects, and teaching assistantships are available to full-time, first-year students that can help defray the cost of tuition while also earning valuable, hands-on experience. Positions include a full tuition fellowship, a position working with The Fourth River literary magazine, and multiple teaching assistant positions.
Chatham’s MFA in Creative Writing faculty members are published writers, teachers, and literary scholars who mentor students throughout the creative writing graduate program.
Students interested in learning about the publishing industry can take ENG: 568 The Fourth River Practicum, where they work as an assistant editor for The Fourth River. ENG 595: Independent Literary Publishing teaches students to create and run their own literary press. There are also many opportunities for publishing internships in the Pittsburgh area, with many of our students earning internships for Autumn House Press,Creative Nonfiction, and Pittsburgh Quarterly.
Teaching Opportunities
Our pedagogy courses offer interested students the opportunity to learn how to teach composition and creative writing in a traditional college classroom, as well as in alternative community spaces such as libraries, youth centers, retirement homes, halfway houses, and more. Through a PA State grant program, we partner with area high schools where graduate students serve as tutors and mentors, earning stipends and gaining valuable classroom experience.
Annual Reading Series
Chatham's on-ground MFA program hosts visiting writers in a variety of different series. These include the Melanie Brown Lecturer Series, funded by The Melanie and Fred R. Brown Endowed Fund, which focuses on fiction writers with a strong sense of place, and the Appalachian Writers Series, which celebrates work from and about our region. All readings are livestreamed to be accessible to both low-residency students and the community.Exclusive virtual events with visiting writers are also planned throughout the year. Recent visiting writers include Frank X. Walker, Laura Jackson, Neema Avashia, Teju Cole, Jennifer Haigh, William Evans, Kawai Strong Washburn,Cristina Garcia, Danielle Evans, and more.
Tuition & Funding
The cost of a graduate degree consists of university tuition (per credit charge), fees, and any other personal expenses you may require for earning your degree. Chatham also offers a 20% corporate partner discount, graduate assistantships, and professional campus work positions for many graduate programs that can help make a Chatham graduate education more affordable. Our Financial Aid and Admissions offices will also work with you to understand the loan and financing options available.
Start the next steps in your graduate journey at Chatham University by visiting campus or attending upcoming events. Join virtual info sessions, open houses, or admitted student sessions to learn about our programs and the application process, interact with faculty, and experience the Chatham community. Click the button below to view the schedule and register, and email graduate@chatham.edu with any questions.
